Month: March 2011

Written by Tom Becham for Professorgoodales.net

Image courtesy haightshop.comOn the next leg of our journey to Northern California, my wife and I stopped in San Francisco for a few days. Besides some of the more obviously touristy stuff, we also did some beer tourism.

Our first beer-related stop was at the Magnolia Pub and Brewery. Located in the Haight-Ashbury District of San Francisco, the neighborhood around the Magnolia still retains a bit of the old funky, hippie-ish vibe it was known for in the 60’s and 70’s, but with a more tourist-centric aspect now. The interesting people watching on the streets could fill a volume on its own. Continue reading “The Beer Highway in Northern California, Part II”

Written by Norman Miller for milforddailynews.com and GateHouse News Service

Russian imperial stouts draw big crowds.

Breweries around the country — Portsmouth Brewery in New Hampshire, Three Floyds in Indiana and the Bruery in California, among them — hold special events when interpretations of the style are sold just that one day a year. These events draw hundreds, sometimes thousands, who just want a chance to get a taste and a bottle of these beers.

What are the origins of the Russian imperial stout style? The following is a conglomeration of several histories of the style found on numerous websites, combined with information I have gleaned from several sources over the years.

Although “Russia” is in the name, Russian imperial stouts were created in England in the 1700s. Porters were popular in those days but somehow the Russian court discovered this beer.

Note: wouldn’t the purchaser have been InBev? Isn’t “A/B” mostly “A/B” in name only these days, if at all?- Prof. GA

Written by Steve Dolinsky for wbez.org

Some fans of craft beers are foaming over the news that industry giant Anheuser-Busch plans to buy 23 year-old Chicago-based, brewing powerhouse Goose Island Beer Co.The $38.8 million deal was announced Monday, but is set to close in June.

On the surface, the two brewers couldn’t be more different: One is known for mass-marketed and mass appeal brands like Budweiser and Busch; the other is known for microbrews and specialty ales like 312 and Matilda.

So why would Anheuser-Busch gobble up Goose Island?

Two words: craft brews.

“These critically acclaimed beers are the hometown pride of Chicagoans,” said Dave Peacock, president of the St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch in a statement. “We are very committed to expanding in the high-end beer segment, and this deal expands our portfolio of brands with high-quality, regional beers. “As we share ideas and bring our different strengths and experiences together, we can accelerate the growth of these brands.”

Profiled by Ken Carman

I have had Ommegang Abbey many times. I’ve met the brewers and shared a mutual goal: brainstorming a trube problem for another brewer in Pensacola. It is a very complex Belgian Brown Ale fermented in open fermentation tanks right here in the states in Milford, NY just south of Cooperstown, NY. Half moon Belgian farmhouse brewery. You drive through the middle of the building to get to the parking lot.

Some list it as a Dubbel. Taste wise, that could be accurate. Brown might work too. But while all Browns aren’t Flanders sour, there is a tendency to think of Belgian Browns as such.

Out of the bottle it foams, and foams and… hard to pour. A bit more of a very dark, hazy, amber, or light brown with a tinge of red. Head fades fast but lingers with just a bit of head at the very end.

Mouthfeel pure foam at first. Caramelization in the malt and that very obvious Abbey yeast that dominates the taste on the roof of the mouth. It clings with an almost brassy feel.

The taste is, again, the yeast and the caramelized and brown malts. The foam adds to the pleasure. The viscosity is moderate, yet the seems to complexity belie that. I’m guessing most think of this as a “heavy” beer, but it’s not. Hops are very background and… aged?

I would recommend this for anyone looking for an interesting, complex, less than sour Belgian Brown, or a Belgian Dubbel. In short: I recommend it. And on the plus side, brewed in America!

Written by Tovin Lapan for McClatchy Newspapers and goerie.com

Four years ago handyman Mark Taylor sent proposals to four community colleges in Northern California for a beer home-brewing course he wished to teach.

The colleges’ reaction was as flat as a glass of beer left out overnight.

While they did not believe Taylor would find that much interest in a home-brewing course, he remained confident. Cabrillo College offered to let him try it out, and the first session filled up with 17 students, one short of capacity.

Written by Norman Miller for GateHouse News Service

Big alcohol beers with high alcohol content are fine, but Chris Lohring said he noticed something was missing in the craft beer world: a highly flavorful beer that low in alcohol.

Lohring wanted to do something about that, and last year he started Notch Session, a brewery in Ipswich, Mass., that skips past the big beers that are so popular today for lower-alcohol “session” beers.

If only we could revise history and get rid of bad beer at the same time!

Written by Tony Kiss for Citizen-Times.com

These days, a variety of flavors are going into Asheville-made beers. Asheville Brewing Co., 77 Coxe Ave., takes that to another level with its Thursday night infused brew series.

Each week, the downtown brewery blends one of its own beers with some unexpected ingredients.

The next infused brew (coming Thursday) is a blend of Escape Artist Ale with three styles of fresh hops. Here’s a rundown on what to expect in coming weeks. Feb. 17: Scout Stout with chocolate and chipotle peppers (for Valentine’s). Feb 24: Stuntman Ale with Tupelo honey. March 3: Rocket Girl with peaches and cinnamon sticks. March 10: Ninja Porter with mint leaves and espresso beans. March 17: Roland’s ESB with sweet potatoes and four-leaf clovers (for St. Patrick’s Day). March 24: Asheville Amber with lemon and limes.Note: none of these items are the infuser used in Ashville. The one on the left is sold by stompthemgrapes.com and the one on the bottom sold by northernbrewer.com And, yes, they do look a little like odd, metallic, tampons, don’t they?-PGA